PHOTOGRAPHY

JOURNALISM
 The Basic Rules of
Photography
1. Focus on your subject

2. Employ the Rule of Thirds

3. Use lines to draw attention to the subject

4. Frame your subjects

5. Try changing your viewpoint. Change the angle

6. Avoid Mergers!
 1. SIMPLICITY

KEEP THE FOCUS ON YOUR SUBJECT avoid clutter

 Which features a clearer subject?

The cactus is the main subject. And by moving in closer and

using the plain sky as the background, we have simplified and
improved the appearance of this photograph.
 Hans Staub

In front of the kindergarten

Aaron Siskind

Savoy Ballroom
 Carol Guzy

Volcanic Mudslide in Columbia

 Max Desfor

A pair of bound hands and a breathing hole in the snow

reveal a body buried in the snow and left to die by
retreating communists during the Korean War
2. RULE OF THIRDS
1. The subject is off centre

2. The eye is drawn to the top left corner

3. Footprints lead eye to the subject

4. Shadow adds to photo
1. Horizon is in top third

2. Subject is not centred.

3. S curve is aesthetically appealing

A CENTRED SUBJECT
Same subject: off centre and
horizon shifted
 A vector is a line
indicating direction
and motion.

Note that the sailboat

to the right appears to
be moving into the
picture.

THINK VECTORS!
 Michael Macor

San Francisco Earthquake

Iraq
 Carolyn Cole

Children enjoy a bucket of water in war torn Liberia

where the number of orphans topped 10,000. 2004
Even portraits
may be better if
the subject is
not centred.
 Matt Rainey

Emotional photographs
that illustrate the
recovery of two students
burned in Seton Hall
University dormitory
fire.
Andrea Mohin

9-11
George Kochaniec

Columbine 2000
Columbine
 David Leeson / Cheryl Meyer

Squad leader stands at attention as troops pay last

respects to a fallen comrade in Baghdad. 2004
 3. USE OF LINES

Natural lines like a road or fence can lead the viewer

to focus on your subject.
Vertical lines emphasize power, strength, and height.

Horizontal lines express stability and width.

Diagonal lines express dynamic energy.

Curving lines express sensuality.

This photo employs both the rule of thirds and the
effective use of lines
George Barnard

Charleston Railway Depot

Vertical Lines
= Power and
Strength
 Ansel Adams

- rule of thirds
- use of curves
- placement of horizon
 Cornell Capa

New York Steelworkers

Bolshoi Ballet
 4. FRAMING

Note: Rock frames structure.

Note: Horizon is not in centre of picture.
Purpose is to show height Monument is framed and
of monument includes subject and depth
1. Rule of thirds 2. Horizon is in lower third
3. Subject is framed
 Marc Riboud

A street in old Beijing

 Russell Lee

Migrant child returning home from the fields

5. VIEWPOINT
 Paul Vathis

JKF and Eisenhower discuss Bay of Pigs

 Jean Gaumy

Irans Chadored Warriors

CANDID PHOTOS
 CANDIDS

Unposed pictures of people, often taken without

the subject`s knowledge. These usually appear
more natural and relaxed than posed pictures
 The Kiss

-Victory Day

Alfred Eisenstaedt
GET CLOSE!
 Leonard Freed

Suspect in a Police Car

 6. AVOID MERGERS

In the photo on the left, a tree appears to be growing out of the

subjects head.
SPORTS AND ACTION
PHOTOGRAPHS
 The eye naturally follows the direction of the subject

In this picture, it looks Action subjects should

like the runner is always be moving into
leaving the scene. The the scene. This way the
scene is not so readily viewer notes both the
noticed. setting and the subject.
THREE MAIN RULES FOR
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

1. BE READY TO SHOOT!

2. TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS

3. GET CLOSE
Try panning the camera so that the subject
remains in focus but the background is
blurred. This is a very effective strategy for
illustrating speed.
FAMOUS
PHOTOS
Arthur Leipzig

Divers, East River

Martine Franck

Le Brusc, south of France

George Hurrell
Martin
Munkacsi
Joe Rosenthal

Iwo Jima
Jeff Widener

Tiananmen Square
 Max Desfor

The Korean War

Refugees cling to the

twisted girders of a
bridge as they flee
southward from the
advance of Chinese
communists
 Jack Thornell

Civil rights activist James Meredith grimaces in pain

after being shot during a voting rights march in
Memphis. 1966
 Nick Ut

Children fleeing an American Napalm Strike

 Eddie Adams

Street execution of Vietcong Prisoner

Carol Guzy

Kosovo
 Slava Veder

Burst of Joy: Released prisoner returns

home after the Vietnam War
Steve Ludlum

9-11
THE END